Near Earth Objects (NEOs) Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2000 words

Near Earth Objects (NEOs) - Research Paper Example Depending on how close they are to the Earth, they can be spotted with the naked eye, or they can be spotted with a telescope. Rather than clustered together, a comet is a single large object with a long tail. More often than not, it is the tail, and not the main part of the comet that can be seen. Near Earth Objects might be fun to look at, but they are capable of doing catastrophic damage. Craters around the world pay homage to the respect that they undoubtedly deserve. One of the most widely accepted theories for the extinction of dinosaurs is that a massive meteor struck the planet and radically changed both climate and atmosphere. Fortunately, when it comes to this modern age, there are methods and theories in which to deflect NEOs. All of these are untested, however, and have only performed in labs. A meteor, or meteorite, is a body of rock, ice, or metal that enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Many of these are small and harmless, and burn up upon entering the atmosphere. W hen you see a shooting star, or a meteor shower, that is what you are seeing. While no threatening meteors have recently struck the Earth’s surface, the evidence is all around us. The largest crater in the world, created by a meteor, is in South Africa in an area called the Vredforte Dome. This meteor hit the Earth more than 2 billion years ago, and was around 10 km in diameter. According to science, the impact of the meteor might have been massive enough to jumpstart multicellular life by increasing the amount of oxygen in the atmosphere. There are, to date, 841 World Heritage sites around the world. A World Heritage site is a special place that has either a cultural or a physical significance. These sites are chosen by the UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization), which has been around since 1945. While Earth appears safe for the most part, it has had its share of close calls. One such close call occurred in September of 2004. An asteroid b y the name of Toutatis swept by Earth, missing it by about a mile. Several kilometers in diameter, if Toutatis or a rock like it were to hit Earth, it would devastate life as humans know it. The sun would be obscured by a huge cloud of dust that would travel around the globe, changing the temperature and climate of the Earth. Plants would start to die from lack of sunlight, unable to complete their cycles of photosynthesis, and herbivores would begin to starve. Humans would have major crop failure as well, and would need to resort to another means of sustenance. Eventually, over time, civilization would cease to be. Food, if any survived at all, would be both precious and hard to come by. Water would become stagnant and toxic to drink, as the evaporation process would be altered without sunlight. The impact of a NEO of this size would ultimately either destroy all life on the planet, or force evolution into overdrive. A rare NEO that is usually only seen by astronomers with high-pow ered telescopes and other special equipment is the comet. These massive objects are made up of ice and organic material. They carry behind them a long ‘tail’, which consists of ice and other materials that it picks up as it hurtles through space. The ‘head’ of the comet is called a nucleus, which consists of the ice and organic materials. The core of the nucleus is as yet unknown. These beautiful objects are far older than many of the planets in the solar system, the majority of them estimated to be

Intravenous Medications in the Nursing Environment

Intravenous Medications in the Nursing Environment Phoebe Roberts Administer and Monitor Intravenous Medications in the Nursing Environment Question 1 a. Signs and symptoms of iron deficiency anaemia include fatigue, irritability, tachycardia, pale skin,  difficulty concentrating, brittle nails and shortness of breath. (Williams Hopper 2011 p. 562). b. As the patient has iron deficiency anaemia a blood transfusion is necessary to increase  haemoglobin levels within the blood as this helps to transport oxygen to cells and tissues. She also  has a history of PR bleeding. Therefore this blood transfusion is helping to replace volume lost, to  increase circulating blood volume and to improve the oxygen carrying capacity (Hamlin, Richardson-Tench, Davies 2009 pp 155,156) c. It is important to follow the Pico prep instructions as faecal matter can obscure the viewing of the  the colon. Pico prep aims to thoroughly cleanse the colon of any matter or gas to ensure that the  visual field is clear ( Corbett Banks 2011 pp. 675,676). d. Pico prep is an osmotic laxative, its action decreases the fluid absorption within the bowel which  then results in the onset of diarrhoea within 1-4 hours. Side effects can include abdominal bloating,  abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and flatulence. ( Tiziani 2013 pp. 876,879). e. The action of this medication would have quite an impact on this elderly patient. Although she  mobilises with a four wheel walker it would become increasingly difficult to mobilise to the toilet so  frequently to empty her bowels in time. This may increase the chances of her having a fall ( Williams   Hoper 2011 p. 747). Lowering the bed, having her four wheel walker in reach and the application of  hip protectors may aid in reducing the risk of her having a fall and in the chances of her having a fall  the hip protectors may aid in protecting that area.( Crisp, Taylor, Douglas, Rebeiro 2013. p. 454). Providing a bedside commode may also reduce the chances of falls as it is located closer to her than  the toilet may be. As she is an older patient the skin around the area may become excoriated and skin  breakdown may occur due to the acidity of the diarrhoea and the area frequently being wet. Barrier  creams should be applied to at risk areas for protection. Diarrhoea can also quickly cause dehydration  and electrolyte imbalances in the elderly, this may also have an impact on this patients fluid and  electrolyte levels (Williams Hopper 2011. pp. 275, 747). Question 2. a) This patient is displaying possible signs and symptoms of a suspected urinary tract infection such  as incontinence, a burning sensation when she voids, fever, confusion and blood stains on her pad. A urinalysis should be performed to support a diagnosis of a urinary tract infection ( Williams   Hopper 2011 p. 838). As she is incontinent of both urine and faeces a thorough skin assessment  should be performed to identify the areas at risk and to identify any change in skin integrity. Skin  turgor should also be assessed as this can indicate a sign of dehydration (Crisp et. al. 2013 p. 592). A  fluid balance chart should be maintained to assess if the patient is in a positive or negative fluid  balance and the weight of the patient should also be assessed as noticeable weight changes can  indicate hypovolaemia (Crisp et.al 2013 p.1214, Scott 2010 p. 62). Auscultation of the chest could  prove useful in determining the reason of the increased respiratory rate and low oxygen saturation  levels ( Lewis Foley 2011 p. 356). A falls risk assessment should also be performed as the elderly  patient has a few risk factors for falls such as confusion, reduced mobility an d is incontinent of urine  and faeces. This can help to implement interventions to reduce the risk of a fall ( Crisp et.al p. 454). As this patient is at risk of both hypovolaemia and hypokalaemia the doctor should be notified to  thoroughly assess the patient and implement therapy for a suspected urinary tract infection. b) Cranberry juice can be effective in helping to reduce pain when urinating and also prevents the  bacteria adhering to the wall of the bladder, this method can be helpful in reducing the pain of a  urinary tract infection however the patient is undergoing a procedure the next day, therefore this  intervention should be implemented with the approval of a medical officer. A heat pack could be  placed on her abdomen to relive any pain and discomfort along with the administration of an  antipyretic to reduce her fever and pain (Williams Hopper 2011 p. 840). As the patient is having  difficulty breathing she should be placed in a suitable position to help with proper lung expansion such  as the high fowlers position along with the administration of oxygen to increase oxygen levels within  the blood. (Williams Hopper 2011 p. 604). The patient’s vital signs should be continuously  assessed to monitor any improvements or deterioration especially her blood pressur e and heart rate  as any further abnormalities such as arrhythmias and a further decline in blood pressure could  indicate hypovolaemia and hypokalaemia. Continuous assessment of her neurological state should  also be implemented to monitor any changes (Scott 2010 p. 64). c. Hypokalaemia occurs due to an excessive loss of potassium from the body or from an inadequate  intake of potassium. The body is unable to conserve potassium and relies on an adequate intake of  potassium to maintain a balance within the body. An excessive loss of potassium can be due to  diuretic therapy – especially potassium wasting diuretics, corticosteroids, vomiting and diarrhoea. Signs and symptoms include an irregular weak pulse, hypotension, muscle cramps, muscle weakness  and shallow respirations. (Williams Hopper 2011 p. 79, Scott 2010 p. 98). Medical management is aimed at restoring potassium levels either by increasing the intake of  potassium in the diet or oral potassium supplements. Intravenous replacement therapy is also  implemented in those with severe hypokalaemia to rapidly increase potassium levels. Diuretics may  be changed to a potassium sparing diuretic to prevent the loss of potassium from the body. (Scott  2010 pp. 100,101). Nursing management includes monitoring fluid input and output, monitoring the heart rate and rhythm  of those receiving IV replacement therapy, maintaining and ensuring the correct administration of the  therapy and continuous monitoring of the patient’s condition throughout. ( Scott 2010 p.102). Hypovolaemia occurs due to the loss of fluid from the body and extracellular spaces; this can be due  to excessive bleeding, excessive sweating, burns, diuretic therapy, diarrhoea, renal impairment and  vomiting. The loss of fluid then results in a decreased blood volume. (Williams Hopper 2011 p.71,  Scott 2010 pp. 60, 61). Signs and symptoms include thirst, nausea, hypotension, restlessness,  confusion, dizziness, cool pale skin, tachycardia, increased body temperature, weight loss and a  decline in cognitive status. (Williams Hopper 2011 p 72, Scott 2010 p. 62). Medical management includes finding and stopping the source of the fluid loss, the replacement of  lost fluid with an intravenous infusion with the same osmolality of blood to increase the body’s blood  volume. ( Scott 2010 p.63). Nursing management includes the administration and maintenance of intravenous fluid replacement,  monitoring the daily weight of the patient, monitoring fluid input and fluid output, encouraging the  intake of fluids to aid in restoring fluid balance and providing mouth care to maintain the integrity of  the oral mucous membranes. (Crisp et.al. p. 73). Question 3 a) Midazolam is used in this procedure as it is a sedative, hypnotic agent and muscle relaxant. This  aims to reduce the amount of movement throughout the procedure and assists in keeping the patient  in a sedative state and impairs memory function ( Tiziani 2013 p. 967). Fentanyl would be used to  reduce pain during the procedure and also aids in the maintenance of the anaesthesia ( Tiziani 2013  p 928) Diprivan is used to induce sedation and also increases the effects of the hypnotic agent and  analgesia ( Tiziani 2013 p 793.) b) Midazolam acts by binding with a benzodiazepine receptor in the central nervous system which  inhibits neurotransmitters in the brain resulting in a calming sedative affect ( DrugBank, Midazolam  DB00683 2013). Midazolam given intravenously takes affect within 1.5 2.5 minutes. Adverse effects  include respiratory depression, memory impairment, anxiety, muscle weakness, drowsiness,  hypotension, dizziness, fatigue and decreased alertness. (Tiziani 2013 pp 964, 967) Fentanyl acts on receptors within the brain, spinal cord and muscles and bind with opioid receptors  producing an analgesic affect. Administered intravenously fentanyl takes affect almost immediately.   Side effects include respiratory depression, apnoea, dyspnoea, vomiting, nausea, increased intra  cranial pressure, bradycardia, sedation, confusion, constipation, hypotension and muscle rigidity.  (Tiziani 2013 p. 923) Diprivan suppresses the central nervous system and produces a loss of consciousness. Adminstered  intravenously diprivan takes affect within 30 seconds of administration. Side effects include  respiratory depression, tachycardia, hypotension, shivering and involuntary muscle movements (Tiziani 2013 p 793) Nursing care includes continuous monitoring of respiratory rate, heart rate and vital signs during  administration of these agents and throughout the procedure, ensuring that the dose is titrated to  produce the right affect, a sedation scale should be performed when the patient is conscious,  ensuring that the patient is aware that midazolam can cause muscle weakness so care should be  taken when mobilising. Central Nervous System toxicity may occur when all three medications are  given together therefore continuous monitoring is extremely important as the effects on the central  nervous system are increased ( Tiziani 2013 p 964,968). c) As this patient has renal failure the kidneys ability to filter and excrete waste is decreased, this may result in an accumulation of the medications and could possibly result in drug toxicity – especially  opiate medications (Tiziani 2013 p.925). This patient is elderly and may have increased sedation and  confusion after the procedure due to her age and renal function and is at a high risk of falls especially  as midazolam causes muscle weakness. Midazolam administered to an elderly patient can cause  delirium, therefore this patient is at an increased risk of being affected by this ( Tiziani 2013 p.964). Constipation is also going to affect this patient as this is one of the major side effects of opiate  medications. Reference List Corbett, J., Banks, A., (2013). Laboratory Tests and Procedures with Nursing Diagnoses ( 8th Edition) New Jersey: USA. Pearson Education Crisp, J., Taylor, C., Douglas, C., Rebeiro, G., (2013). Potter Perry’s Fundamentals of Nursing (4th Edition). Chatswood: NSW. Elsevier Australia. DrugBank (September 2013) Midazolam (DB00683) Retrieved March 10, 2015, from http://www.drugbank.ca/drugs/DB00683 Hamlin, L., Richardson-Tench, M., Davies, M., (2009) Perioperative Nursing (1st Edition). Chatswood: NSW. Elsevier Health. Lewis, P., Foley, D., (2011) Health Assessment in Nursing (1st Edition). Broadway: NSW. Lippincott Wilkins Scott, W., (2010) Fluid Electrolytes Made Incredibly Easy (1st Edition) London: England. Lippincott Williams Wilkins Tiziani, A., (2013). Harvard’s Nursing Guide to Drugs (9th Edition). Chatswood: NSW. Elsevier Australia. Williams, L.S., Hopper, P.D., (2011). Understanding Medical Surgical Nursing (4th Edition). Philadelphia: USA. F.A Davis Company.

Characteristic Downfall :: essays research papers

In T.S. Eliot's "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," the author is establishing the trouble the narrator is having dealing with middle age. Prufrock(the narrator) believes that age is a burden and is deeply troubled by it.. His love of some women cannot be because he feels the prime of his life is over. His preoccupation with the passing of time characterizes the fear of aging he has. The poemdeals with the aging and fears associated with it of the narrator. Prufrock is not confident with himself mentally or his appearance. He is terrified of what will occur when people see his balding head or his slim and aging body. He believes everyone will think he is old and useless. They will talk about him behind his back. (They will say"How is hair is growing thin!") My morning coat, my collar mounting firmly to the chin, My necktie rich and modest, but asserted by a simple pin-- [They will say: "But how his arms and legs are thin!"] This insecurity is definitely a hindrance for him. It holds him back from doing the things he wishes to do. This is the sort of characteristic that makes Alfred into a tragic, doomed character. He will not find happiness until he finds self-assurance within himself. The repetition of words like vision and revision, show his feelings of inadequacy in communicating with the people around him. J. Alfred Prufrock's self esteem affects his love life greatly. The woman he is in love with is younger than he is and this distresses him. He does not believe that some younger women could possibly accept him or find him attractive. Expressing any kind of affection to her is awkward and difficult. Prufrock knows what he must say but cannot bring himself to say it. "Should I, after tea and cakes and ices, Have the strength to force the moment to it's crisis?"(79-80) His apprehensiveness in his love life, is very troublesome for him indeed. He wishes greatly to express his affection but it becomes suppressed within him. He compares himself to Lazarus who was an aged man restored to life by Jesus. He feels that it will take a miracle to make him feel young again. Prufrock sees his age as the end of his romantic zeal. He assumes the response to his love will be snappy and heartless. Prufrock believes that women do not find older men attractive or see a possibility of romance in them. The rhyme scheme Elliot uses in this poem depicts the disenchanted and confused mind of the narrator. The poem is written using a non-uniform

Civil Disobedience: Henry David Thoreau and Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr

â€Å"Disobedience to be civil has to be open and nonviolent. † – Mahatma Gandhi Throughout history philosophers have played a key role in our society. Both Henry David Thoreau and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. brought forth their own ways of civil disobedience, in their belief that it was imperative to disobey unjust laws. Their thoughts manifested from ideas, to theories, and eventually lead to our society today. Civil disobedience in a pragmatic way is the act of a non-violent movement in order to enforce the change of certain laws to ensure equality for all. Dr. King explained in his quote â€Å"One who breaks an unjust law must do so openly, lovingly, willingly to accept the punishment† (220). Nevertheless, on opposite ends of the spectrum, Thoreau implied an aggressive stance motivated by his own personal hate for the government but yet King used religion, supported by his charismatic ways of being gentle and apologetic. While King and Thoreau both believed in the use of civil disobedience to create change, they went about using civil disobedience in staggeringly different fashion. As stated by Dr. King in his letter from Birmingham Jail, â€Å"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere† (214). Regarding this issue, King believed that all American communities are connected and that injustice in one community will affect other communities. Perhaps, one could deem injustice as a disease such as cancer that forms in one area then quickly spreading and eventually discombobulating the entire social infrastructure. Dr . King reshaped America’s social issues through a non-violent approach in distinction to boycotting buses in Montgomery to marching through Selma, King responded to unjust laws with civil disobedience and direct action. Dr. King’s stance on prejudice laws came from morality. Primarily using morality as a backbone in his argument, we would agree that it is wrong to foster laws that affect a certain race or group of people. Moreover, our laws are a reflection of our morals and it sets forth what we know is right and what we know is wrong. Early philosophers often struggled and faced opposition with either the government or social groups. Opposition faced consequences such as confinement, torture, or worse, death, whereas the idea of brutal punishment inflicted fear on the next individual. In his â€Å"Letter from Birmingham†, King compared his calling to Birmingham to the Apostle Paul in the Bible, â€Å"[and how he] carried the gospel of the lord to the far corners of the Greco-Roman world† (214). King expressed a legitimate concern over the anxiety to break laws; elaborating the fact that there are two laws; just laws and unjust laws. King stated, â€Å"In no sense do I advocate evading or defying the law† (220). Rather more, King agreed that just laws should be followed; however unjust laws are to be met with civil disobedience. What makes a law unjust one might ask? From the terms of St. Thomas Aquinas, King explained that â€Å"any law that degrades human personality is unjust†. (219) Segregation gives the segregator a false sense of superiority and distorts the soul and damages the personality. Back in Dr. King’s time, a series of laws were passed that were the ethos of â€Å"separate but equal†. King rallied in oppositi on of these laws as still prejudice and unjust, in fact these laws were against morals. Under this doctrine, services, facilities and public accommodations were allowed to be separated by race, on the condition that the quality of each group's public facilities was to remain equal. Signage using the phrases â€Å"No Negros allowed† and â€Å"whites only† distorted our views on race relations. However, King believed this in fact is not equality and it is against our morals. As a result of Henry David Thoreau using civil disobedience and direct action, Dr. King was motivated by his techniques which lead to a series of events that would lead to the Civil Rights Movement. â€Å"All men recognize the right of revolution; that is, the right to refuse allegiance to, and to resist the government when its tyranny or its inefficiency are great and unendurable† (180). As Thoreau explained in his excerpt from â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, Thoreau used the revolution of ’75 as an example of bad government. Thoreau elucidated how the government taxed certain foreign commodities that were brought to its ports. He then began to correlate bad government to a machine and stated how all machines have their friction, however, when friction takes over a machine, â€Å"and oppression and robbery are organized, I say let us not have such a machine any longer† (180). Thoreau elaborated on this idea that the government is a machine and when evil takes over, let us no longer have such a government. He believed not that a government should exist â€Å"but at once a better government† (178), Thoreau argued that power should not be left to the majority, but the â€Å"conscience†, in fact he questioned the reader rhetorically asking â€Å"Must the citizen ever for a moment, or in the least degree, resign his conscience to the legislator? †(178) Thoreau feels that the â€Å"conscience† plays a personal role. Thoreau questions democracy, and thereupon he advises us to question why we should capitulate to the government if we do not agree with a law? Why would we possess brains and have a conscience of our own if we are not allowed to think for ourselves and do what we want? Thoreau feels we ought to be real for ourselves, not the government. Furthermore, he articulated the idea that should we surrender our thoughts, or conscience to the government, or should we pursue a justifiable explanation of the dilemmas that surround us? What is right as opposed to what is wrong is what leads to civil disobedience. Thoreau believed that the idea of paying taxes to support the Mexican-American was an unjust cause, whereas; King strongly disagreed with laws that were prejudice. In Thoreau’s reading from his article â€Å"Civil Disobedience†, he argues â€Å"that government is best which governs not at all† (177), which ultimately leads the people to discipline themselves. On the other side King explained how â€Å"nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a [community that has refused, is forced] to confront the issue† (216). By cause of King being after Thoreau’s era, King used Thoreau’s â€Å"Civil Disobedience† and direct action to spark a change in society. While both Thoreau and King argued with morality in mind, they both believed injustice exist. Thoreau thinks of injustice as friction or tension that can wear the machine down. King believes that injustice just exists and tension must be created with direct action to negotiate with the machine. I accredit Dr. King in presenting the best argument due to the audience he reached out to which of course was the populace and his motives that captivated his courageous and selfless acts. Furthermore, Dr. King was concerned about injustice towards people based on their race, religion, or sex; whereas Thoreau was motivated by his personal hatred for the government. Regardless of how either King or Thoreau used civil disobedience, their contributions led to an admiration for their works and casted a light on unjust laws.

Boundary Issues Essay

When working in the human service profession you must understand the importance of setting boundaries. One of the most important aspects a counselor should instill into their work ethics is to build a strong, health line of communication and trust between themselves and their clients. This line of trust can determine whether there will be a therapeutic session and if it will end in success, or detriment. Professionals must understand that mixing a personal and professional relationship could produce a negative outcome. One of the easiest ways to prevent boundary crossing is to acknowledge, and adhere, to the Code of Ethics which is provided by the organization of employment. A Code of Ethics is a set of principles of conduct within an organization or business that guide decision- making and behavior. The purpose of ethic codes is to provide professionals, clients and other interested persons with guidelines for making ethical choices in conduct of his or her work. How can a counselor identify certain scenarios to protect themselves and their clients from such damage? As a counselor you should be clear on your limits as a provider. Make sure the client understands that boundaries are set to keep each party involved focused on the work at hand. Identifying poor boundaries: You and your client call each other friends and interact outside of the facility where you work. Valuable gifts are exchanged between you and the client. You reveal personal information that is not relevant to your client case. You find yourself discussing the client and his or her case during social interactions with your friends and family. Knowing the consequences of poor boundaries: Without professional relationship boundaries you may not provide appropriate services to your client. If you are acting as the client’s friend, and not his or her provider, you may not challenge the client to deal with presenting problems. Failure to set professional boundaries can cause you to burn out from caring for the client beyond what is required of a professional relationship. If you do not maintain a professional relationship you can find yourself acting in an unethical manner. How to prevent poor professional boundaries: Explain your role as provider and the limits of your availability to the client outside of office hours at the beginning of the relationship. Make it clear that the client will only be able to contact you at the facility and that your personal life (outside of  the relevant information you volunteer) is not up for discussion. Make sure any personal information you reveal (called self-disclosure) is helpful to the client’s case. For example if the client is a rape victim, it is important to talk about your history of rape (if any) and the resources you used to change your life. You are making the session about you if you discuss parts of your personal life that are not relevant to the client. When a client crosses the professional boundaries, redirect them by immediately clarifying your role and the limits of your relationships with the client. Discuss boundary issues with your supervisor, colleagues or your own therapist. Be sure to maintain good physical emotional and mental health so you work at your personal best. Review the code of ethics.